


Coming Unglued

by noblydonedonnanoble



Category: Doctor Who RPF
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-24
Updated: 2012-12-24
Packaged: 2017-11-22 04:50:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,652
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/606005
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/noblydonedonnanoble/pseuds/noblydonedonnanoble
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Catherine and Adrian take their children out to dinner, and find themselves at the same restaurant as David and Georgia. Discomfort ensues.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Coming Unglued

**Author's Note:**

> Part 4 in "Five Days of Tatennant Christmas"; following "[The Ghost of Christmas Past](http://dreamerbee.tumblr.com/post/38429863729/ghost-of-christmas-past-1-5)", "[Giddy](http://archiveofourown.org/works/602917)", and "[Bad Luck](http://windyside.tumblr.com/post/38632474170/bad-luck-part-3-5-tatextennant)".

                It was Adrian’s idea to come here. That’s what she keeps reminding herself. He had various reasons for selecting it, which he detailed to her at the initial sight of her skeptical face: that it was a beautiful restaurant, accommodating to children _and_ vegetarians, and that the other patrons always were too involved in their own meals to get worked up over someone they recognized from some television program. And with such a concisely expressed opinion, she couldn’t say no.

                He doesn’t understand the true basis of her skepticism, though. He doesn’t know about all the ghosts she will see when she walks through the door.

                They stroll in together, and Catherine is gripping his hand just a bit too tightly, as if she’s concerned that he’ll slip out of her grasp. Adrian notices, but says nothing, instead just giving her hand a reassuring squeeze. The girls rushed inside in front of them, giggling and bouncing with energy, and Catherine can’t help but grin at their excitement.

                And then she’s looking around, eyes landing on their regular table in spite of herself. They came up with the concept for _Much Ado About Nothing_ at that table. They bickered and made up and had whispered conversations about the most intimate details of their lives at that table.

                David and Georgia are, at this exact moment, being seated at that table, Tyler settling into the seat across from David. He’s holding Olive as Georgia fiddles with a high chair, and Catherine watches as the two of them get Olive nice and settled.

                Her first time back at this restaurant since that horrid party (rather, the decent party with a horrid ending), and David and Georgia picked the same night to come.

                She feels suddenly lightheaded, and is grateful for Adrian’s ability to pick up on her discomfort as he speaks with the hostess, as they weave through the crowd to reach their own table. Catherine doesn’t even realize they’ve walked past David and Georgia until she hears him calling out to her. “Catherine, is that you?”

                Heart in her throat, she turns around. Adrian pauses too, and his hand darts out to rest on her waist, pulling her closer. She wonders whether the action was subconscious or not.

                “Oh, hello David. It’s good to see you.”

                “I didn’t know you were back in London.” The statement, in and of itself, is fairly innocent, but she detects hurt in his eyes. Whether it’s over their general lack of communication, or this particular piece of information, she doesn’t know, but she chooses to think that it’s the former, and feels a sense of triumph at the thought.

                “I came back for Erin’s birthday. And Christmas, of course. Because—“

                “You love Christmas.” A sad smile crosses his face. “I know.” They share a look before David turns to Adrian. “’Ello, Adrian. It’s been a while, I think.”

                While Adrian and David make small talk, Catherine grins at Georgia and remarks that Olive is looking absolutely beautiful. She gives her an appreciative smile and gestures to Erin, returning the sentiment.

                Catherine is aware that Adrian is attempting to gracefully ease out of the conversation, and she’s thankful, because she’s not sure how much longer she can stand David’s furtive glances in her direction. But just as she thinks they’ve reached a point where they can step away, Evelyn nudges Adrian, and he bends down so that she can say something to him. He looks up, glancing between the adults with a small frown, before returning to his full height and saying, “Evie thinks it would be fun if they could eat with Tyler and the adults ate together.” He glances at Catherine, and quickly adds, “But I wouldn’t want to in any way infringe upon a family dinner, so…”

                Georgia shrugs. “I wouldn’t mind. David?”

                “I think Tyler gets rather bored spending so much time with us, even if he is too nice to say so,” he says cheerfully.

                And so, before she knows it, Catherine finds herself sitting at their table, and there’s no way he’s not remembering because how could he possibly not remember?

                Why did she let Adrian pick this place? Why did she think it was a good idea?

                They should have just gotten take-out.

                The waiter comes and Catherine orders her usual without even thinking about it. She fidgets uncomfortably, but then David orders his usual too and when he glances at her she blushes, her discomfort now attributed to something else entirely.

                The four of them talk about everything that requires very few revelations of personal information: current events, their children, their careers (Adrian asks David about the _Doctor Who_ 50 th Anniversary special, but he insists that he knows nothing). Once it comes, they excitedly remark upon the quality of the food. Catherine doesn’t like it much—it’s not the same, somehow, and she feels fairly certain that they must have changed some of the ingredients. David sees her picking at it and gives her a puzzled look. She makes a gagging face and they both giggle for a few moments too long before remembering themselves.

                About half-way through the meal, Adrian excuses himself to go to the loo. Catherine feels certain that the next two minutes will be some of the most abysmal of her life.

                Until Olive starts screaming.

                David and Georgia exchange a few words—“Did you take her last?” “I think so. Would you mind?” “No, it’s alright.”—before she pulls Olive out of the chair and retreats to the loo as well.

                “Georgia’s going to just calm her down… She’s teething.” David says by way of apology.

                Catherine nods sympathetically. “I remember those days.”

                Silence falls between them, and she glances over at the children at the next table, all of whom seem completely at ease. Much more at ease than she is right now.

                “Were you ever going to tell me you were home?” he asks, quite suddenly. Though it shouldn’t seem sudden, because she knows he’s been wondering the whole evening.

                For a second, she considers lying, because she doesn’t want to hurt David, and because she likes to think that maybe she _would_ have gotten around to calling him up and suggesting they get some lunch, catch up, talk out the problems between them (that last part would never have happened, but she’s always liked pretending where she and David are concerned). He would see through her, though. He always sees through her. So she shakes her head. “No.”

                Even though it was the answer he was expecting, his face falls. “Ah. Right.” He frowns. “I deserve that, maybe.”

                “You don’t ‘deserve’ anything,” Catherine says softly. “I should have tried harder to call you sometimes. I just didn’t think I could handle it.”

                “You can’t handle me?” He smirks. Mostly to cover up his disappointment. So much disappointment.

                But she takes it quite seriously and shakes her head. “No. No, I can’t.” More that she’s reached a point where she can no longer handle herself around him, but she’d rather not admit that. Catherine can always handle herself.

                Adrian returns and gives Catherine a peck on the cheek as he’s sitting back down; she catches David frowning again, and at the sight of her raised eyebrows he averts his eyes, becoming suddenly interested in the remaining food on his plate.

                When Georgia comes back with Olive, she expresses her deepest apologies, which Catherine and Adrian wave off because, as Catherine repeats, they’ve all been there.

                The rest of the meal runs smoothly. David’s curiosity is now quenched, and it shows.

                It doesn’t get awkward again until they’re all standing at the door, trying to say goodbye. Catherine is making a mental note to never go to this restaurant again—maybe to never go out to dinner ever again. She will become a strictly take-out kind of girl.

                Georgia gives Catherine a hug. David and Adrian shake hands. It’s when David’s going in to give Catherine a kiss on the cheek that Erin says it. “Mum, is that mistletoe?”

                All four adults look in the direction that Erin’s pointing. The mistletoe is directly between David and Catherine.

                She flushes and backs away slightly. “No, I don’t think so.”

                “It’s bad luck…” David begins carefully.

                Bad luck. She scowls at him. He knows all too well how she feels about luck. One glance at Adrian tells her that he’s not particularly eager to witness a beneath-the-mistletoe kiss between Catherine and David. Georgia is pointedly not paying attention, instead fixating on Olive’s jacket and adjusting it. None of the kids understand the full extent of what’s happening.

                They exchange a short, chaste kiss, jumping apart more quickly than is necessary. But because the kiss was simply to avoid bad luck anyway, it doesn’t particularly matter.

                “Goodbye,” couldn’t be said soon enough after that, not with Georgia and Adrian there to push things along.

                Erin apologizes that night before heading to bed.

                “What on earth are you sorry for?” she asks, puzzled.

                “For pointing out the mistletoe. Adrian didn’t look very happy.”

                “Oh darling, that? That was nothing.”

                Catherine’s assurances are empty, but Erin looks relieved anyway. She turns away and is about to leave her mother be, but then pauses and looks around. “David looked pleased, though.”

                “Hmm.” She does her best to sound indifferent.

                “So did you.”

                “Oi! To bed with you, go on.”

                Just a few minutes later, she receives a text from David.

                _What is it with us and mistletoe?_

                _I think we’re cursed._ As an afterthought, she adds, _Or blessed. However you’d like to think of it._

                _Am I pretending you’re not actually here, or are you up for lunch tomorrow?_

                With only a moment’s hesitation, Catherine responds. _Lunch. Your pick._

                Because she feels pleased. Because David looked pleased. And maybe, just maybe, because it was about more than just bad luck.

**Author's Note:**

> Now go read [White Christmas](http://archiveofourown.org/works/608437) to finish off the series.


End file.
